A woman in Australia was killed by a rooster who pecked at her leg, puncturing a varicose vein that hemorrhaged and caused her death.

The 76-year-old woman was gathering eggs from her rural property when the rooster struck at her leg repeatedly, according to a study published in late August in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology. She is unidentified to protect her family.

The hemorrhage caused the woman to collapse and later die. She was previously diagnosed with hypertension, type II diabetes and varicose veins.

"Even relatively small domestic animals may be able to inflict lethal injuries in individuals if there are specific vascular vulnerabilities present," the report said.

Professor Roger Byard at the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia, who co-authored the study with Judith Fronczek, said the freak incident shows "how vulnerable the elderly are."

"It draws attention to the vulnerability of elderly folk with varicose veins to minor trauma, even from a rooster peck," Byard told USA TODAY. "Lethal rooster attacks are very rare, but small animals can cause death from trauma."

To prevent incidents such as this from happening, Byard advises that individuals should treat animals, "even small ones," respectfully. Varicose veins also should be treated, he said.

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Giselle Raad, 11, collects eggs from "The Breakfast Club" chicken coop on her family's property in Michigan. The coop features painted and hand-stenciled walls, art work and vintage decor including a chandelier and a painted shelf. Danielle Raad

Danielle Raad's "The Breakfast Club" coop started out as a large Amish-built shed. The family added a second room onto it which connects to a large barn. The structure is fully insulated and wired for electricity. Danielle Raad

One of Danielle Raad's chickens, a cochin bantam named Woody, sits on a perch in front of a hand-stenciled wall in Raad's "The Breakfast Club" coop. Raad painted the portrait of a woman with a chicken perched on her shoulder. Danielle Raad

Danielle Raad paid homage to the movie “The Breakfast Club,” the namesake for her coop, with a wall of paintings by her children referencing the film. The family often refers to their chicken flock as “The Breakfast Club” as they produce the eggs for family breakfasts. Danielle Raad

One of the nest box complexes in Danielle Raad's "The Breakfast Club" coop was constructed from a vintage wooden barn ladder. Below the nest boxes is an antique skeleton key dresser drawer. Danielle Raad

One of Danielle Raad's more unusual chickens, Petina, poses in front of a hand-stenciled wall in Raad's "The Breakfast Club" coop. Petina is a Blue Isbar, also known as a Silverudds’s Blue hen. She lays a “mint chip” colored egg. Danielle Raad

A door leading into a large chicken run attached to Danielle Raad's "The Breakfast Club" coop features an old horseshoe that was dug up when the barn was constructed. Raad says they are hoping it brings good luck. Danielle Raad

Danielle Raad's chickens include Coraline, a rare Svart Hona breed. Among unusual features of Svart Honas is that they have black skin, organs, bones and muscle, she says. They're also known to be great foraging birds and have a calm demeanor. Danielle Raad

Fresh Eggs Daily proprietor Lisa Steele is tapping into the chickens-as-pampered-pets trend with her latest book, "101 Chicken Hacks from Fresh Eggs Daily: Tips, Tricks and Ideas for You and Your Hens." It was published in October. Lisa Steele/Fresh Eggs Daily

Lisa Steele, a leading voice of the backyard chicken movement, keeps her own flock in a stylish coop on her Maine property. It features barn-red siding, double green doors and windows with flower boxes that she decorates for the seasons. Lisa Steele/Fresh Eggs Daily

A chicken prances about Lisa Steele's Maine property in a designer tutu. A leading voice in the backyard chicken movement, Steel has five books in print and hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Lisa Steele/Fresh Eggs Daily